Positioned just east of Elk Ridge, this 256-acre ranch offers classic New Mexico mesa country with sweeping views, strong wildlife presence, and remarkable hematite deposits. Accessible by Highway 36 with a recorded easement, the property provides seclusion, buildable terrain, and year-round recreational potential.
Land
The 256 acres feature a blend of open grass flats, pion-juniper ridges, shallow canyons, and elevated mesas with expansive views over the surrounding high desert. The landscape is a mix of sandy loam and rocky outcrops, creating excellent bedding and transition habitat for wildlife.
Multiple natural benches and high points offer strong glassing vantage points and would serve as excellent future build sites. Rimrock shelves and scattered sandstone outcrops add character, while the lower basins provide more open country suitable for riding, hiking, or camping. The elevation s...
Multiple natural benches and high points offer strong glassing vantage points and would serve as excellent future build sites. Rimrock shelves and scattered sandstone outcrops add character, while the lower basins provide more open country suitable for riding, hiking, or camping. The elevation sits around 6300-7300ft, giving the property four usable seasons without the deep winter conditions found farther north.
Native vegetation includes pion and juniper, sage, mountain mahogany, and pockets of grama and galleta grass. The overall feel is similar to Elk Ridge--wide open, easy to navigate, and naturally scenic.
Access to the ranch is via Highway 36 followed by a recorded easement across private land, providing reliable year-round ingress.
Improvements
Improvements include a 15’ x 15’ jeep barn/carport suitable for vehicle or UTV storage, plus two premium 6’ x 8’ storage sheds built on treated 24 framing with 5/8 floors. The portable sheds and a covered structure suitable for equipment or vehicle storage. These modest improvements provide immediate utility for gear, tools, or supplies while leaving the majority of the ranch’s landscape undeveloped for a buyer’s future vision.
No other structural improvements are currently on-site, leaving the ranch a blank slate.
Recreation
This ranch borders the same wildlife corridor as Elk Ridge and benefits from the region’s strong game populations. This ranch is location in GMU 12.. The ranch offers unlimited over-the-counter tags for mule deer, and tags available for black bear, and mountain lion, offering flexible big game hunting opportunities throughout the season.
There are three rifle sight in shooting ranges from 100 -375 yards.
The terrain offers excellent glassing from the mesa tops, easy travel across open benches, and natural funnels where game routinely pass through. Hunters familiar with this part of Cibola County know the long-term consistency of elk presence, particularly during the fall rut and late-season movements.
In addition to big game hunting, the ranch is ideal for hiking, horseback riding, ATV exploration, and camping. Large skies, red-rock edges, and distant mountain vistas make the property extremely photogenic.
Water/Mineral Rights & Natural Resources
Although the property does not have developed water sources, natural drainages cut through portions of the ranch and help sustain wildlife throughout the year.
Hematite Mineral Specimens
A standout feature of this ranch is the significant surface distribution of hematite, the mineral form of iron oxide. Hematite appears across the property in multiple forms:
Botryoidal hematite, exhibiting rounded bubble formations
Massive hematite nodules weighing several pounds to several hundred pounds.
Metallic black, red, and deep brown specimens
Iron-rich rock layers weathering out of slopes and ridges
Geologic Origin
In this region of New Mexico, hematite commonly forms from ancient volcanic and hydrothermal activity. Iron-rich fluids circulated through fractured rock, cooling and precipitating hematite in cavities and seams. Over millions of years, erosion exposed these deposits at the surface--exactly what is visible throughout this ranch.
Value & Potential
While large-scale commercial iron mining is not realistic here, specimen hematite has recognized value in the mineral collecting market. Botryoidal and banded hematite commonly sell for:
$10$200+ per piece, depending on size, form, and quality
Higher prices for well-formed botryoidal clusters
Additional interest among lapidary artists for cutting and polishing
The quantity and quality of material on the property present a unique opportunity for hobby collectors, small-scale specimen sales, or simply appreciating a rare natural resource seldom found in such abundance on private land.
Region & Climate
This part of western New Mexico is known for its mild four-season high-desert climate. Summers are warm but rarely oppressive, nights cool quickly, and winters are generally dry with light snow. The monsoon season brings welcome summer moisture, supporting healthy grasses and browse.
Fence Lake and the surrounding area are quiet, rural, and lightly populated, offering exceptional privacy and dark night skies.
Location
The ranch is located near Fence Lake, NM, with access from Highway 36 via a recorded easement on private ranch roads. The region is easily reached from Grants, Gallup, and Quemado, with Albuquerque approximately two hours to the east.
Despite its seclusion, the ranch can be accessed year-round, and the landscape lends itself well to future development of a hunting camp, cabin site, or off-grid residence.
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